ME/CFS and Long Covid Diagnosis and management of chronic fatigue syndromes

Gavin Spickett, Retired consultant in Immunology, Allergy, and General Medicine, Royal Victoria Infirmary

Dr Gavin Spickett is a retired consultant in immunology, allergy, and general medicine. He trained in medicine at the University of Oxford and earned his DPhil at the MRC Cellular Immunology Unit, Oxford. He completed general medical training in Ipswich and trained in immunology, allergy, and immunopathology at the MRC Clinical Research Centre, Harrow, and the Department of Immunology at the John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford. In 1991, he took up the position of consultant clinical immunologist, allergist, and general physician in Newcastle, where he worked until retirement in 2021. During his career, he developed the Regional Clinical Immunology and Allergy service and the associated laboratory service. He established and led the Regional Chronic Fatigue Network and was the lead clinician for ME/CFS at the Royal Victoria Infirmary. In 2017, he was awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award by the UK Primary Immunodeficiency Network for his work for patients with primary immunodeficiencies.

AcknowledgementsPreface1. The history of chronic fatigue2. When to suspect ME/CFS or Long Covid3. The diagnosis of chronic fatigue4. Primary ME/CFS or Long Covid versus secondary chronic fatigue5. Theories of causation6. What do you tell a patient?7. Young people with chronic fatigue8. What therapies are helpful?9. What drug treatments are available?10. Prognosis11. Work, school & university12. Benefits & pensions13. ConclusionsAppendicesIndex